Polish military cemetery at Monte Cassino - Cmentarz wojskowy na Monte Cassino

[@jansobieski3127]

One of the Polish soldiers in this cemetery was from Chicago born in the USA, but he came in Europe to fight with his Polish brothers for Poland.... God bless him and all the others we will never forget their sacrifice. Alan thank you for this video, once we will be done with the Covid I will make a trip to Monte Cassino.

[@Araconox]

My husband and I just finished a trip to Italy and visited the Monte Cassino Cemetary . I'm from Poland but moved to Canada in the mid eighties , and now know that Canada took in more surviving Polish soldiers from this battleground and their families than from any other country after the War , as they couldn't return to their native Poland (Russia) . I have had a strong gift(?) of clairvoyance since a little girl and wasn't sure what to expect , if anything. This memorial struck us both as being very powerful and the feelings ran rampant, my husband says he was overcome with an inexplicable sadness, and felt like crying while walking through the gravestone markers. I first felt the heaviness and angst walking by myself down the stairs and then down the wide passageway towards the staged gravestones. I first felt him, the incredible pain in my chest and around my diaphragm . He then materialized, was right there stuck in Limbo, helmet, clothes shredded , blood . He leaned close to me and the message came from behind my left ear, him telling me his name and asking me(pleading) to tell his Mom that he is OK. I guess the spirits can sense or know that I can see them, no idea why this seems to be the case. I am going to look though the listing of the dead soldiers on the board at the memorial and see if his name is there. Then try to comply with his wish, knowing of course that his mother is gone, but perhaps his living relatives would like to know this . The dreadful scene appeared in front of me , the stillness, the hundreds of mangled bodies with missing and twisted limbs strewn everywhere, and laying there in situ, the awful smell of death, sweat and urine, smoke and gunpowder. The stillness. The unholy screaming emotion of fear coarsing through this historic site. The visage was of that particular battlefield as it was in a moment in time in May, 1944. For some reason, and I have no idea how to explain it, but many times when I am present at a site or place such as this, regardless of Era or timeframe, these types of (historic) experiences unfold to me with more regularity than I would welcome. The spirits from that long ago time are woven through space time and are as real (to me) as the visitors walking through the graves. The soul lives on, I think , and know, that reincarnation is real , and the old adage that Nobody gets out of this World alive- as trite and self evident as that statement posits- can extend to a sobering scenario in which our lives' transgressions may in fact play out in the afterlife in a revolving nightmare like an old movie stuck on replay ad nauseum.

[@cyna76]

this is only soldier stories

[@MilitisMovies]

Thank you for the memory of such places and the Polish history itself :) We're glad you posted this film as a response to our film.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

What a wonderful comment - thank you for letting me know. When filming military cemeteries I pick out a few people completely at random. The president of Poland had been at Monte Cassino a few days before my visit although I don't know what the occasion was.

[@NJRacer623]

I love my Polish and Italian people. I'm part Polish and part Italian myself and would love to visit this place some day.

[@franktuminski8460]

Thank you for this program

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I have much more on my history channel which deals with themes such as this!

[@merseywhogirl]

My dad's brother-in-law is Polish-Canadian (Jan Harasewitz) sp? Last time I heard, he was 98 or 99....he was born in a small town in eastern poland - and was in the underground, captured once by the gestapo, escaped from a hosp, and eventually made his way to England (Liverpool where he met my dad's sister Peggy)...was then in the British army - with the polish insignia - was in the 2nd D-Day wave...i use to enjoy listening to his stories as a young girl!

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Thank you very much for your comment. You have a very nice channel and I have watched most of your films. I have a lot more on this channel concerning Poland and WW2, including my own original research which may be of interest! Best wishes from Sicily!

[@VanlifewithAlan]

My grand parents emigrated to Canada via Liverpool I think although I don't know, however they came back to the UK.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I don't think diaries are ever what may be termed 'hugely exciting' but they are usually very interesting to read.

[@27294Mike]

Very touching!

[@VanlifewithAlan]

And from Liverpool they emigrated to Canada?

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Was he in the armoured division?

[@joboatthecrossroads]

Piękna i tragiczna karta historii. Obok siebie w białych mogliłach leżą bohatersko polegli wielu wyznań, urodzeni w granicach przedwojennej Polski - Czerwone Maki z Monte Cassino. Polecam trójtomowy reportaż wojenny (z nieraz drastycznymi zdjęciami) polskiego pisarza Melchiora Wańkowicza "Bitwa o Monte Cassino". Pozdrawiam i dziękuję za piękną relację. Ps. Proszę zwiedzić koniecznie zobaczyć Sztutowo (muzeum - obóz koncentracyjny niedaleko Gdańska).

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Dzięki za komentarze. Badałem w archiwum w Sztutowie w 1993r. -więc byłem wiele razy - ostatnio z kims kto ucziekł z Sobiboru!

[@naonaonia]

JEŚLI POLSKA ZAPOMNI O WAS- NIECH BÓG NA NIEBIE ZAPOMNI O NAS!

[@DianaKazimiera-]

Amen 🙏🕊️

[@merseywhogirl]

Mum was a nurse in Liverpool at that time, and when he returned from sea he was traumatized by what he experienced on those convoys....He brought back a balalaika which went missing years ago, and also lots of Russian coins (which i have in Canada). In the diaries he speaks of wonderful treatment by the Russian people, being fed in their homes (he even includes a menu)...he continued life at sea until his death. I have the paperwork for a postumous Russian Convoy Medal, but haven't sent it in.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

In 1914 they went to Sasketchuan although I don't know exactly where and neither does my mother.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I have a friend in Murmansk, I shall tell her. I met a former British liaison officer in 2006 who lived in both Murmansk and Archangel during the war.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Where are the diaries? In the UK or Canada?

[@wojtekmleczaj6603]

Dziękuję 🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Proszę bardzo!

[@merseywhogirl]

I acquired Captain Peter Peterson Sr's monogramed Sea Chest (made in India), and many other small artifacts - including a kodak camera 1910....

[@enriquemata9657]

May all the brave souls rest in peace

[@Wedits_Scream]

thanks to Polish heroes, you are free now.PART AND GLORY HEROES

[@merseywhogirl]

I've got them here w/me in the UK...they are not hugely exciting, but a window into that experience.

[@merseywhogirl]

That's cool! Do you know where in Canada Alan, and what year? Mum and Dad met on one of the Bibby ships - Mum was a nurse - they had voyages mainly in the East - India/Singapore/Australia/Burma/Rangoon and others...I have menus from various Cunard and Bibby ships (small collection). They both LOVED the sea!! I love the sea as well, but have only been on short jaunts in the Caribbean. x

[@merseywhogirl]

Yes, eventually the whole family - including Peter Jr and his wife Jessie...Auntie Peggy and Uncle Jan just after the war...Mum's Scottish relatives (through her late father) were already in Stoney Creek, Ont ..Dad's sister Rosemarie and her husb immigrated to Australia .dad and mum in 1952 after my bro was born. Dad had served as a Radio Officer on the Bibby Line 1948-52 and was offered a position at AVRO plant (communications). he worked on the famous AVRO ARROW!

[@Joncz18]

Cześć I chwała Bohaterom !!!!

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Pozdrawiam!

[@merseywhogirl]

I didn't know that Alan. Such a shame...Peter was put on the Ocean Freedom by his mum at 15 in the care of Capt William Walker (uncle Wal)...who was the 1st officer on his dad Peter Peterson Sr's ship the SS Masula (British India Line). He died of cancer in 1928 and Uncle Wal promised to always watch out and care for the two kids (mum and her bros)....Before my Mum died, she gave me his 2 wartime diaries, mostly day to day stuff, but some cool drawings, some morse code and shorthand.

[@VanlifewithAlan]

Unfortunately Soviet propaganda later claimed that the western Allies gave no support and this is widely believed in Russia today. This is total ungratefulness given the loss of so many lives in convoys, especially PQ17.

[@merseywhogirl]

Yes, very true, they are interesting for me because I never met Peter, and from family photos and my mum, I think I would have liked him very much!! both he, my mum and her mum were talented artists, in fact her mum Lillian and auntie mabel owned a dress and hat shop in Liverpool together before they married....lillie designed dresses and mabel was a milner - servicing the well to do in Liverpool from 1918-21. In the dairies, I get a glimpse of Peter, and he was a very interesting lad.

[@merseywhogirl]

Honestly, I have no idea - I only met him a few times - they lived in Toronto and we didn't see them very often. My dad knew him well, of course....but not I!! Jan didn't much like to talk about the war, but for me he made an exception (last time I spoke to him was in 2005 and he was 92-3?)...I should have asked my Dad for more details/information before he passed way. Incidentally, my mum's brother, Peter Peterson was part of the PQ17 merchant navy convoys - he was 15. he died in 1962 at sea.

[@merseywhogirl]

Alan, If ever our paths should cross (hopefully) I will show you the diaries...i'm sure we'll also have lots of other stuff to talk about!! x

[@1AlejoYT]

Nice!

[@kasiairys]

look Żołnierze Generała Andersa (1/3)

[@merseywhogirl]

just found one of his son's business cards....it's spelled Harasiewicz

[@kasiairys]

in english pavany09english Pawel Dabrowski

[@JohnCRV]

I visited as a child, all I remember was white crosses. Waste of life.

[@trajan75]

No, a tragic necessity. Those men died for your freedom.

[@annakowalik-r2y]

IT was for Poland